Data: Returns of Black Friday goods to surge today

The mammoth day of returns – dubbed Back Friday – follows the flurry of online spending that occurred over the four-day Sale event.

Nearly one in five people – 18% – are likely to return an item they bought online over the discount weekend, according to a CollectPlus survey of 1,000 UK adults carried out on November 28, with a surge anticipated today.

Almost a quarter of shoppers – 22% – confessed to buying more items than they needed, while 12% claimed they bought into the hype surrounding Black Friday.

Black Friday shifting online

Last year, CollectPlus noted an 18% increase in parcel returns over the Cyber Weekend. 

This year, as online sales on Black Friday rose, it is estimating a further increase in returns volumes.

According to data from PCA Predict, the number of online transactions jumped 6% on Black Friday as the Sale event migrated away from the high street.

CollectPlus found that almost half the people surveyed shopped online over the weekend to avoid the high-street crowds this year, while over a quarter – 27% – thought there were better bargains online versus in-store.

However, online activity sank a “staggering” 14% year on year on Cyber Monday as prolonged Sale events took the shine off the day.

Of the products returned, almost half – 42% – will be fashion items, while 18% will be home electronics.

The survey also found that men and younger shoppers are more likely to return their shopping.

Be prepared 

CollectPlus chief executive Neil Ashworth warned retailers to be prepared for ‘Back Friday’.

He said: “We’ve seen retailers work tirelessly across the entire supply chain to plan effectively for the fulfilment of orders made on Black Friday.

“With the volume of items being sent back it’s important that they have a robust strategy in place to deal with returns in the same way. Shoppers expect to be quickly and easily reimbursed for online shopping and any delays in the process can lead to delays in repurchase.”